Could this be ALS in a 21 year old with no symptoms?

[Worriedmom94]

Hello--My daughter who is 21 years old recently had an EMG exam done for bilateral hand cramping after rock climbing--which has not occurred recently and has now improved. The EMG results showed spontaneous IA ratings in all muscles tested (30 muscles total), and a 4 of the muscles had MUP waveform abnormalities, and 4 had abnormal interference patterns. We don't have a neurologist in our small town here in AK so the DR is referring her to a neurologist in WA state for further testing and stated the findings are consistent with motor neuron disease, but he followed it up by it seems atypical given her young age, lack of symptoms and essentially normal neurologic examination. All her other test came back good and she is showing no symptoms and is a very active and athletic 21-year-old--who is climbing a mountain to go skiing as I type this.

Looking at the EMG exam further on the muscles tested, all had IA spontaneous contractions, but only a few had Fib or PWS and very few had MUAP or Recruitment patterns on the results.

I am not able to sleep and it could be a long time until we can get into a neurologist in WA state so in the meantime, I am a very worried mom. Does anyone have any thoughts on the EMG results or potential ALS information.

Thank you!

 

[Nikki J]

If you can post the emg ( deidentified) we can comment better

It doesn’t sound like an ALS EMG and I suspect it will end up being called emg disease which is characterized by diffuse increased insertional activity and is benign.

While emgs are important in ALS diagnosis even when the pattern is consistent with ALS as I believe this is not there still need to be exam findings and rule out of other conditions

 

[Worriedmom94]

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[Worriedmom94]

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[Worriedmom94]

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